Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts Can Harbor Health Hazards

September 7, 1988|By JANE E. BRODY, New York Times News Service

Manufacturers and market analysts report that the demand for ice cream and other frozen desserts is up. Americans now consume an average of more than 22 quarts of ice cream a year, about a cup every four days.

The choices, too, have increased enormously in recent years, making it possible for health-conscious individuals to join in the fun while the less cautious splurge on the richest -- and most unhealthful -- frozen treats since Grandpa churned his own from fresh Guernsey cream.

By far the biggest boom has been in ``gourmet`` ice creams containing 16 percent to 20 percent fat, up to twice the 10 percent required by the federal standard for ice cream.

While most people can safely splurge now and then on high-fat, high- calorie ice creams, those who wish to indulge more often and those with health problems that preclude dietary lapses should pay attention to the nutritional pitfalls of what can become an important source of calories.

The following guide to the nutrient contents of frozen desserts can help you choose wisely as well as know the health price when you do not.

-- Fats. With fat the most calorically dense and health-damaging nutrient in our diets, this is the ingredient you should watch most carefully.

Ice cream is highest in fat, much of it artery-clogging saturated fat, but some ice creams are much worse than others.

The premium and super-premium ice creams, such as Haagen-Dazs, Frusen Gladje and Ben and Jerry`s, are highest in fat, 16 percent to 20 percent by weight and deriving 50 percent to 69 percent of their calories from fat.

Regular ice cream derives 45 percent to 50 percent of calories from fat. Tofutti, the milk-free dessert in which corn oil has replaced butterfat, is no less fatty and no less fattening, with a range of 45 percent to 55 percent fat calories.

Ice milk (which includes most soft-serve products), with 25 percent to 30 percent fat calories, or frozen yogurt, with 8 percent to 30 percent fat calories, are less likely to damage blood vessels.

Those seeking little or no fat would do best with fruit and fruit juice bars, fruit ices or sorbet (which have no fat) or fruit sherbet (10 percent to 15 percent fat calories) or the new Lite Tofutti (10 percent fat calories).

-- Sugar. Unlike fat, sugar causes no life-threatening illness, although certain people, such as diabetics, must avoid it. While some health-conscious consumers steer clear of processed sugar, choosing honey, maple syrup and other ``natural`` sweeteners, the body cannot tell much of a difference. But nutritional benefits are obvious if the primary sweetener is fruit puree or apple juice concentrate.

According to the label, Shamitoff`s 2 1/2-ounce fruit bars have about 2 teaspoons of sugar and FrozFruit`s 4-ounce bars have only 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons for sweeter fruits and 3 to 4 teaspoons for tart fruits.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based consumer organization, estimates that Chiquita, Dole and Jell-O fruit and juice bars also contain about 2 to 3 teaspoons of sugar.

A few products are artificially sweetened with saccharin (for example, Weight Watchers` ice milk) and more can be expected following the approval in June by the Food and Drug Administration of the use of NutraSweet in frozen desserts.

Before you indulge, keep in mind that fat will remain the most troublesome ingredient in ``sugar-free`` ice cream, and many dietitians are concerned about consumption of large amounts of NutraSweet.

-- Calories. Gourmet ice creams have the most calories. A half-cup (4 ounces) of Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Swiss Almond has 342 calories -- and who eats just half a cup?

Ice milk runs around 100 calories a half-cup and frozen yogurts range from 90 (for Dannon Lowfat) to 160 (for Elan Chocolate Almond), with an average of 125 calories.

Lowest in calories are the fruit and fruit juice bars, which range from 107 for 4 ounces of Minute Maid Fruit Juicees down to 68 for most flavors of FrozFruit (banana and coconut are twice that), or fewer calories than the equivalent amount of saccharin-sweetened Weight Watchers Fruit Juice bars.

Watch out, though, for the latest consumer attraction: chocolate-coated fruit bars. The coating adds both fat and sugar and can double the calories.

-- Essential Nutrients. In general, it is not wise to count on desserts, frozen or otherwise, to fulfill your nutrient needs. Ice milk, frozen yogurt and ice cream all contain some milk protein (4 to 7 grams in 4 ounces, or 6 percent to 11 percent of the recommended daily amount).

But the tofu-based desserts do not, mainly because they are made with very little tofu. Milk-based desserts also contain calcium, about 11 percent of daily needs per half-cup serving). Some of the fruit bars provide vitamin C.

Many people find that measured-portion frozen treats, like bars, pops, sandwiches and cups, help them control their consumption. So does buying ice cream or its substitutes on a serving-by-serving basis.

Another alternative is to venture into homemade frozen desserts, which enables you to control the contents.

With a modern ice cream maker you can whip up fabulous fruit-flavored frozen yogurt or fruit sherbet in just 20 minutes.